Solutions that don’t break the bank, reinvent the wheel or marginalize our teachers are within our grasp. We could have rigorous classes, safe and disciplined schools and treat teachers like valued colleagues rather than easily replaceable cogs, and we could do so tomorrow if we wanted. Disclaimer, this is an opinion and commentary site and should not be confused as a news site. Also know that quite often people may disagree with the opinions posted.

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Saturday, May 17, 2014

Is Jason Fischer trying to scare kids away from public schools?

First
Mandarin just what is wrong with you? In 2012 you had two other viable
candidates but you chose Fischer, what was it, that before he loved education
he loved soil and water? Was it he couldn’t seem to figure out if he was in the
navy or just worked for them?

Why
were you so angry Mandarin? You realize you have not just some of the best
schools in the city but in the state don’t you? Why vote for somebody who
doesn’t want to improve public schools but instead wants to privatize them and
force kids into sub-standard options?

Ugh!

Okay,
in a Times Union piece about middle school, long a thorn in the side of the
district, years ago Hazouri talked about how we need to clean them up, Fischer
said: Regardless
of structure, Duval’s middle schools have to become more nurturing of
sixth-graders, Fischer said.

Those students are leaving
the protective environment of elementary school and are thrust into a place
where they will be treated like mini-high schoolers. But many are not ready for
that.

“Their whole world is changing,”
Fischer said. “Societal issues become more noticeable in middle school. They
may see more violence and more drugs as … some high school experiences back up
into the middle school. And yet they’re still kids.”

Yeah all those violence and
drug experiences that our high schoolers experience are now finding there way
into middle schools too. Where is the flashing danger sign I wonder?

We do have issues and there are fights and I am
sure there are drugs too, but Fischer makes it sound like our schools could
double for the HBO series OZ. Now it is true I have joked to my friends that
every high schooler should be required to watch it and then told, and that’s
the good part of the prison, but the truth is they are not the lawless dens
Fischer seems to be implying that they are.